Climate Finance Roadmap For Livestock in Latin America and the Caribbean

The report identifies a massive funding gap for sustainable livestock in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), where the sector is responsible for approximately 28% of total regional emissions but receives minimal climate investment. It analyzes six key risk categories—governance, financing, physical climate, market, infrastructure, and nature—and finds that public investors are currently the most suitable for the sector due to higher risk tolerance. The roadmap proposes a transition from a 'business-as-usual' reliance on public funds to a diversified capital mix through blended finance, derisking tools (such as first-loss capital and credit guarantees), and policy reforms like natural capital accounting and improved land tenure. It specifically highlights the vulnerability of smallholder farms and the potential for large-scale farms in Brazil and Mexico to attract private investment. The report concludes with recommendations for COP 30 in Brazil to elevate sustainable livestock on the global climate agenda.

• There is a severe global and regional funding gap for sustainable livestock; globally, less than USD 240 million in climate finance is directed to livestock systems, leaving a USD 181 billion gap. In Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), annual flows averaged USD 100 million in 2021/22 against estimated needs of USD 23.2 to 25.2 billion.
• Livestock systems are a primary driver of emissions in LAC, accounting for approximately 28% of total regional emissions, with 53% coming from enteric fermentation, manure management, and land degradation, and 47% from land use conversion.
• Public investors are currently the most suitable for climate investments in LAC livestock systems because they have higher risk tolerance and a development focus, whereas private investors are deterred by high governance and physical climate risks.
• Investment barriers vary by farm size: small farms face acute physical climate risks, lack of collateral, and high transaction costs, while large farms in Brazil and Mexico are better positioned for private investment due to lower infrastructure and governance risks and optimal ticket sizes.
• Specific regional risks include macroeconomic instability in Argentina, where the peso lost two-thirds of its value between 2018 and early 2020, and geopolitical market risks in Mexico, which exports approximately 89% of its agricultural products to the US.
• The report proposes three scenarios to close the finance gap: Business-as-Usual (BAU), Improved Finance Strategies (IFS), and Improved Finance and Policy Strategies (IFPS). The IFPS scenario suggests that combining catalytic financial mechanisms with policy reforms can significantly increase the private sector's share of capital, particularly for small farms.
• Key financial solutions to unlock investment include blended finance with tiered capital structures, patient capital with 5-10 year repayment periods, and the use of first-loss capital and credit guarantees to improve risk profiles.
• Essential policy interventions include the adoption of natural capital accounting, the modernization of land administration systems to improve tenure security, and the implementation of standardized climate reporting requirements.
• Sustainable livestock practices that offer investment opportunities include silvopastoral systems, sustainable feed production, manure management, and grasslands management, with nature-based solutions being critical for the climate transition.

APA

Kirchherr, A., Alberti, C., Barron, M., Bansal, S., Sikka, A., & Strinati, C. (2025). Climate Finance Roadmap For Livestock in Latin America and the Caribbean. Climate Policy Initiative. https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Climate-Finance-Roadmap-for-Livestock-in-LAC.pdf

Chicago

Kirchherr, Alexandre, Caroline Alberti, Mairéad Barron, Shreya Bansal, Aanandita Sikka, and Costanza Strinati. Climate Finance Roadmap For Livestock in Latin America and the Caribbean. Climate Policy Initiative, 2025. https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Climate-Finance-Roadmap-for-Livestock-in-LAC.pdf.

Wikipedia

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BibTeX

@techreport{kirchherr2025climate, author = {Kirchherr, Alexandre and Alberti, Caroline and Barron, Mairéad and Bansal, Shreya and Sikka, Aanandita and Strinati, Costanza}, title = {{Climate Finance Roadmap For Livestock in Latin America and the Caribbean}}, institution = {Climate Policy Initiative}, year = {2025}, month = jul, url = {https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Climate-Finance-Roadmap-for-Livestock-in-LAC.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }